Brooder



July'lO, 1928.

w. E. STRAW Bnpoimn Filed May 5, 192

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A TTORNEY.

Patented July 10, 1928.

UNITE sr wAii'rER E. STRAW, or KEENE, TEXAS.

BRO CIDER.

Application filed May 5,

is raised.

Another object of the invention'resides in the provision of a removable night closure for confining the chickens within the heated area of the brooder, and yet of such porousness as to provide the necessary air while the chickens are so confined.

Still another object resides in the provision of sunlight and feeding compartment having a hinged cover so arran 'ed as to be held in open position to provide for maximum ventilation.

lVith these most important objects in view, the invention has particular reference to certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts by which said objects are attained, which will become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure l'represents a perspective view of a brooder constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on a line drawn laterally through the brooder, and

Figure 3 is-a detail view of one of the ventilating ports. I

Continuing now more in detail with the drawings, 1 designates the side walls of the brooder, 2 the rear wall and 3 the cover over the brooder proper, which is hinged at cal and provided with a support 1 adapted to hold the same open to obtain access to the inside compartments. The side walls 1 extend forwardly and are sloped at the front as shown to provide a sunlight and feeding compar ment 5. This compartment is v provided with a cover 6, hinged at Z) shown in open and closed positions on Figures 1 and 2 respectively, and which is preferably composed of a re-inforced glass material, to permit of entrance of light, yet not easily broken.

lVithin the compartment 5 is hinged @a gang board 7, to the forward portions of 1927. Serial No. 188,989.

Which is secured a flexible cord 8, extending through an aperture in the front wall of the brooder, and a pull upon this cord will cause the gang board 7 to move from the inclined position shown in Figure 2 to the horizontal position illustrated in the same figure in dotted lines. In this latter position, the board is held by the yielding tongue 9. In inclement weather especially, the chickens may be permitted to have access to the compartment 5, and in which they may be fed and exercised, as well as permitting them to have the benefit of maximum light,

Hinged to either side of the sloping-side .walls 1 is a support 10. These supports may be readily turned to the-position shown in dotted lines in Figure l to hold the cover 6 in slightly raised position, but in so doing the opening thereby made is requiredto be 'covered to prevent escape of the chickens from the feeding compartment 5. To so cover this opening, a partition 11, normally closing the passage intermediate the brooder proper and feeding compartment 5 is so constructed as to perform the dual purpose of providing a night closure for the heated compartment 12 of the brooder, and as a cover for the opening made when'th'c cover 6 is propped up by the supports 10.

The night closure or partition 11 is constructed preferably of a porous fabric material as shown to provide for minimum ven tilation when in normal position shown in Figure 2, and is further provided with sliding latches 13, cooperating with loops 1a carried by the supportslO to hold thepartition 11 in the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, when so applied. I

A particularly important feature of the invention resides in the distribution of heat Within the compartment 12, in which the chickens are kept, especially when very young. The floor of this compartment is constructed preferably of tin, or of any similar material capable of conducting heat, and is composed of a top layer 15 upon which, a quantity'of sand 16 is placed. Beneath this layer is a sheet of asbestos 17, and another layer of tin. This arrangement prevents concentration of heat emitted by the lamp 18 placed centrally beneath the floor of the compartment 12, In order to evenly distribute the heat over the floor, a strip 19 is placed beneath the floor and a sheet of asbestos 20 and another layer of metal 21 is aliixedthere to to receive the heat and deflect it outward 'ering 16.

it will beequally distributed over the floor area and thoroughly penetrate the sand cov- A metal sheet 22 is i-einovahl applied as shown in Figure 2 beneath the floor structure just described and centrally apertured to admit the chimney of. the lamp 18.v This afi'ords an intermediate space in which heat issuing from the chimney may find maximum distribution and will not become dissipated by outside air.

At the rear of the breeder is a door 23 and .opposing the same on either side, ventilating ports 24 are provided, and which, as illustrated in detail in Figure 3 are so constructed as to deflect the air entering the same by provision of hoods 25, closed at the .top whereby air will enter from the bottom in the manner shown in Figure 3. In this manner ofventilating, the lamp 18 will not be extinguished should the pressure of wind be great. 7 A temperature indicator 26 is provided within the compartment 12 which may be viewed through glass 27 upon opening the door 28. Light also is provided in the compartment 12 by opening the door 28.

Within the compartment 12, racks 29 are provided around the .walls of the brooder, at different levels. A hover 30 is placed upon the lower of these racks and is composed of a screen frame as shown over which is removably placed a piece of warm fabric 31, one end of which hangs downward to cover the opening into the feedingcompar ment 5, to minimize air entering through the night partition 11. This hover is used when he chickens are very young in the position shown in Figure 2, but w ien they attain a semi-matured stage the fabric covering 31 may be removed and the screen frame 30 replaced upon the upper rack. This prevents the chickens from escaping from the brooder, when the cover 3 is. raised which they have a tendency to do. Both the, com partments 5 and 12 are ventilated by ports 32, having adjustable closures hen the chickens attain an age whenthey may be permitted to be released from the brooder during the day, a small door '34 is hinged near the lower part of the front of the brooder, whereby when opened, it will form a continuation of the runway provided by-lowering the gang board 7 within the compartment 5, to the position shown in Figure 2. iVhen this is done however, the cover 6 of compartment 5 is lifted and supported upon members 10 and the night partition 1-1 moved from the position shown in the figures tooccupy the positionshown in Figure 1 in dotted lines and as previously described. The chickens are thus permitted to run at will into and out of the brooder 'wiuieutuanger of being injured by falling doors and the like. 7

In inclement weather however, the door 34 is closed and the gang board 7 replaced in the horizontal position shown in Figure 2, and upon which the chickens may-be fed, their escape from the compartment 5 being prevented, when the cover 6 is raised, by the partition 11. p

The invention very obviously provides a brooder in which chickens may be raised without difficulty, and due to the manner of heating and ventilating. set forth, loss by smothering, cold and. other mishapsis re duced to the very minimum.

Manifestly, the construction shown is capable of considerable modification and such modification as is in keeping with the appended claims is considered within the spirit of the invention. j

' What is claimed is: 1. A brooder including a housing having a heating chamber containing a hover mountable at different levels therein; a lamp thereunder; a feedingchamber disposed also in said housing forwardly of said heating chamber and provided with av transparent cover; means hinged to the sides of said housing capable of being moved to operative position to support said cover in slightly raised position to admit air; a porous night partition for closing the passage between said chambers and capable of beingmoved to close the opening formed when said transparent cover is held slightly raised, and

means for ventilating said chambers.

2. A brooder for chickens including a housing having a heating chamber provided with a hinged cover; a lamp thereunder; a hover in said heating chamber; means for mounting said hover at different levels in said heating chamber; a feeding chamber communicating with said heating chamber having a transparent hinged cover; apa'ir of supports normally maintained injinoperative position adapted to operatively hold said cover in slightly open position to admitair to said feeding chambergand a porous closure normally covering the passage intermediate said chambers, arranged to be replaced to cover the opening made upon raising said transparent cover to prevent escape of chickens from said feeding chamber. 1

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

WALTER E. STRAVJ. 

